Version 18 of React has introduced a more high-performance framework which is beneficial for developers creating single-page applications. This version is particularly friendly with Next.js, as well as other frameworks like Remix and Relay.
Embracing Version 18 with Next.js
React 18 requires the latest version of Next.js, which is version 13. To take advantage of React 18, you can either create a new Next.js project or update an existing one. To do this, the next command is used for creating as well as upgrading projects.
Streaming Server-Side Rendering (SSR)
One of the standout features that come with React 18 in the context of Next.js is Streaming SSR. This is a methodology where the server sends HTML content to the client in increments, improving the initial load times by not waiting for the entire data before rendering. Streaming SSR contrasts with the traditional method where the entire page has to be ready before being sent to the client.
Implementing React Suspense in Next.js
React Suspense works hand-in-hand with the Streaming SSR functionality. It allows certain components of the UI to be displayed while waiting for other components to finish loading, providing a better user experience as it feels faster. Example code snippets like FeedComponent and WeatherComponent show how developers can implement this in their application.
Server Components with React 18
Another advancement React 18 brings to Next.js is the distinction between client and server components. These components allow for rendering logic to be offloaded to the server, which can perform the heavy lifting, thereby reducing the load on the client device.
Client-side Components
Next.js allows for client components which run solely on the user's device. Such components make use of React hooks like useState and useEffect.
Server-side Components
Server components, on the other hand, handle their processing on the server and send the final output to the client. This can significantly improve app performance since it reduces the amount of JavaScript required to be loaded on the client side.
Other Features and Benefits
The release also includes features like automatic batching, which don't require additional configuration but offer improved performance through batched state updates even in non-browser environments.
Conclusion
Version 18 of React has clearly set the stage for developers using Next.js to enhance their applications. With improvements like Streaming SSR, implementation of React Suspense, and utilization of server components, developers can now craft applications that are not only faster and but also provide better user experiences.
To adopt these features and improve the performance of your applications with Next.js and React 18:
- Upgrade to Next.js 13 if you haven't already.
- Familiarize yourself with the new features, especially streaming SSR and the use of Suspense.
- Consider refactoring your components into client and server components for better performance.
- Keep in mind the available Syncfusion React UI components to boost your app's user interface.
This guide should help you integrate React 18 into your NextJS projects effectively.
Tags:
- #React18
- #NextJS
- #WebDevelopment
- #ServerSideRendering
https://www.syncfusion.com/blogs/post/using-react-18-features-in-nextjs.aspx